Management & Organization
Leadership & Administration
Prof. Dr. Roman Engel-Herbert is the Director of PDI since 2021. He earned his PhD in Experimental Physics from Humboldt University, conducting research at PDI, and later held research positions at the University of Waterloo, University of California Santa Barbara, and Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on the synthesis and integration of complex oxide and chalcogenide materials for quantum technologies, leveraging advanced molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques. Prof. Engel-Herbert has received numerous awards, including the NSF CAREER Award, and is recognized for his contributions to the growth of functional materials with precise stoichiometric control.
Dr. Carsten Hucho is the Scientific-Administrative Coordinator and Head of the Department of Technology and Transfer at PDI. He earned his PhD in physics from Freie Universität Berlin and has been advancing knowledge transfer and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration at PDI since 2006. For 10 years, he served as the speaker of the Leibniz Association’s Working Group on Knowledge Transfer, where he coordinated exchange initiatives among its 95 institutes. His work bridges science, the arts, entrepreneurship, and policy-making, creating innovative formats for science-public engagement and research collaboration.
Managing Director
PDI is one of seven research institutes within the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB). All institutes share a common legal entity and administrative infrastructure while maintaining scientific autonomy. The administrative director of FVB, Martin Böhnke, functions as the managing director of the institutes.
Scientific Advisory Board
PDI's scientific advisory board consists of outstanding national and international researchers. They advise the institute on scientific matters, discuss its scientific strategy, and once a year evaluate its research activities. The current members are:
- Dr. Martin Behringer, Siemens HL, Osram Opto Semiconductor, Germany
- Prof. Nicolas Grandjean, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Laboratory of Advanced Semiconductors for Phototonics and Electronics, Switzerland
- Dr. Michelle D. Johannes, Center for Computational Materials Science, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington D.C., USA
- Prof. Dr. Dagmar Gerthsen, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany (Chair)
- Prof. Dr. Ursula Wurstbauer, Institut für Physik, Westfälische Wilhelms Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
- Dr. Elke Arenholz, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
- Prof. Dr. Jeremy Levy, University of Pittsburgh; Founding Director of the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute
- Prof. Eva Monroy, French Commission for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA), Grenoble
- Prof. Dr. Christoph T. Koch, Humboldt University, Berlin
Institute Committee
Chairman Vorsitzende
Aylin Gümüs
Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung (SenWGPG), Berlin Außeruniversitäre Forschung, Referat IV D 2
Funding Body State Zuwendungsgeber Land Berlin
Aylin Gümüs
Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung (SenWGPG), Berlin Außeruniversitäre Forschung, Referat IV D 2
Funding Body Federal Government Zuwendungsgeber Bund
Dr. Dirk Ziemann
Referat 513 - Vernetzung und Sicherheit digitaler Systeme